Horse
by nikkikoneko
Summary: The boys want two horses, but are only given one to share. There is a plan in motion for them. I do not own anything to do with Fushigi Yuugi. I do own Li, though.
1. Before

"Please?"

"No!"

"Come on. We hafta have two."

"No! You can have one for both of you!"

Tasuki feigned a lip tremble and gave his best puppy-dog eyes. He was not very famous for them, but they usually worked when he did it.

The empress sighed. "No! Who will bring the other back when he dropps you off?" Tasuki hung his head. "Exactly! You will get one horse for the two of you, or you will walk. What would Chichiri think?" Then she answered her own question with, "I don't think he'd mind walking. He's quite used to it. But you, on the other hand, are lazy. Which is another reason you only need one horse."

"And if we run into danger...?" Tasuki asked, dreading the answer.

The empress smiled slightly. "You will have to share the horse, ride together." Tasuki whimpered. "I know." She patted his back as she led him out of the thrown room. "Be patient with him; he may surprise you." She closed the door behind him.

Tasuki was on his way to the stables with his head down. "One horse," he said saddly, his heart racing faster with each step he took.. "Danger. Share. Surprise. Oh, Suzaku, I can't do this!" He put his face in his hands, spun around, and ran into someone.

"Da!" said that someone. "What is wrong, Tasuki? No da?" Tasuki shook his head. Chichiri grabbed a shoulder. "Tasuki, were you able to get us two horses?" Another head shake. Chichiri backed away. "We'll be walking. No da."

Tasuki growled, but it was barely heard, and shoved past Chichiri.

Hoki crossed her arms. "I already said no to Tasuki. What makes you think I'll say yes to you?"

"Because I'm more trusting,? No da?" Chichiri said, hoping to sway her.

She shook her head. "If you don't accept one horse, there's no way for me to help." She shrugged. Chichiri nodded, stood up, and walked out of the room.

Once the door had closed behind him, one of the ladies turned to Hoki. "Why would you not trust Houjun, Lady?" she asked, kneeling beside the throne.

Hoki laughed. "We must wait and watch. I know what must happen between them, but they do not. They need a little push. If they take the one horse it will happen quickly. If not, it won't click-" she sapped her fingers, "-until they get to the mountain. Koji will make sure of that; you know how blunt he is. Either way, it will happen this trip, and it won't be the last time we see the two together. Do not worry about the horses."

She clapped her hands twice sharply. Two men stepped forward from either side of the door. "You two will get the horse ready. They will need food, water, and shelter." The two men bowed and left. Hoki smiled to herself. "They will not turn the horse down, even if they do not ride."

"No. Way."

Chichiri stared at the horse that was prepared for them and was being led to the East Wall. He turned to Tasuki. "Did you tell her you wanted a horse? No da?"

"Nah. You?"

One of the two men with the horse ran to them. "You two order a horse?" The two boys shook their heads. "Well, we didn't go through all that for nothing. Her majesty insists you take the horse. She's carying all of your food and stuff. The horse, that is."

After a bit more convincing from the empress through the man, the boys gave in.

"Fine. We'll take the damned horse."

"Yes," Chichiri sighed. "You ride, Tasuki-kun. I'll walk. No da." Tasuki nodded, mounted, and they left. The gates to the palace closed behind them.

Back at the palace, the empress' smile never left her face. The two men she sent to prepate the horse returned to her with good news. "They have taken the horse."

"Very good." The two men bowed and were dismissed. "They may not ride together yet," she mused. She sighed in defeat, allowing her smile to falter a bit.

Then she suddenly had an idea. "Ladies!" she called. "Bring my son to me."

Tasuki yawned. "I'm tired. Can we stop?"

"No. I'm tired too. No da."

"You are?"

"Yes, I'm tired of your complaining! No da!"

Tasuki took a step back, but stood his ground. "The horse needs to rest; we all need to! She's panting, you're panting, I can hardly keep my eyes open!"

"I am not out of breath! No da!" Chichiri argued back. Though he wasn't lying, he was tired; his steps were slowing. They had traveled for a day and a half without stopping. "We should find shelter. No da." Chichiri was desperately trying to find an excuse to keep going.

"Houki-sama took care'a that." Tasuki pointed to the tents on the horse's saddle.

"To the river, then!" Chichiri was panicking now, though he had no idea why.

"We have water, too!"

"I want to fi-" He stopped suddenly. He felt something.

"Fish?!" Tasuki, who didn't feel it or heard what Chichiri felt, yelled. "Ya wanna-?!"

"Shh." Chichiri clapped his hand to Tasuki's mouth. "First I felt it," he whispered. "Then I heard it. You didn't, no da?" Tasuki shook his head. Chichiri slowly let his mouth go. "Listen."

And there it was. Something moved behind a tree. Something alse moved up a different tree. Both were human, Chichiri confirmed.

"There's two of them?"

"No. Just one. They're using immaging. No da." He looked up in time to see a boy jump down from a tree.

"Hiya!" he shouted. His foot was about to make contact with Tasuki's face, but Chichiri cought him in mid-air. "Whoa. Put me down."

"Fiesty little thing, aren't ya?"

"Don't be mean. No da." Chichiri dropped the boy, who landed on his butt. "What were you doing? No da?"

"Watching. I was told to. 'Course, I wasn't supposed to be found." He scratched his head.

"Who sent ya?!"

"I ain't tellin' ya. I can't. Then I won't get paid."

"What's your name? No da?" Chichiri asked kindly.

The boy laughed a high pitched laugh. "Fine, that I can tell you. Li"

Chichiri gasped. "Wanna stay with us?"

"Tasuki-kun, no! Li can't stay with us! No da!"

"What?"

"He's right," Li answered. "We can't be seen together. I'd get into a lot of trouble." He jumped and was gone. Chichiri couldn't feel his chi at all any more.


	2. During

The boy walked in and bowed. Hoki smiled.

"My son. No need to be so formal." The boy smiled and went to his mother's side. "Tell me: How goes our plan?"

"Well, she was seen but not captured. She plans on staying close, still, but choose when they see her."

The empress nodded. "That is fine."

"Really? She was afraid it wasn't. I will contact her again and tell her."

They found the river, much to Tasuki's complaint. Chichiri sat on the edge, blocking out most of Tasuki's complaining while he set up camp. Chichiri sat staring at the water

"We had to get to the river. We just had to. He won't tell me why. He says he wants to fish. He's not fishing. He's staring at the water, which leaves me to do all the work..." Tasuki continued like this. Chichiri couldn't stand it anymore. He got up and started walking down-stream. "Where are you going?"

"To bathe. No da," Chichiri answered.

Tasuki sighed as he watched his friend disappear.

"You know you want to," a voice from above Tasuki said.

"I wanna what?"

"Follow him." Tasuki laughed. "I'm not joking. Even I would follow him, but I'm not into older men. You don't know what's going on."

"Why are you here?"

Li smiled. "My job. Now go. You're done here. Just don't be seen." Then he was gone.

"Stealthy little one." But Tasuki went to find Chichiri.

He settled into the water and sighed. He couldn't tell from where he was if the water was freezing. It was the middle of the summer, so it couldn't have been too cold. In fact, now that he thought about it, it would feel nice to be in the cool water. But he remembered what Li said, and stayed out of sight.

A groan from the water stopped Tasuki's train of thought. He watched his best friend, a blush creeping over his face as he did.

Chichiri ran a hand down his chest, his eyes fluttered shut. His fingers ran over his nipple. When his pointer reached it and pinched, he gasped. Tasuki licked his upper lip. He had a good view, but the water level went up to where Chichiri's hand was on his chest. And Chichiri was sinking further into the water with pleasure

Chichiri's hands had disappeared, and Tasuki could only imagine what was going on under the water. He ducked his head for extra hiding, closed his eyes, and listened to his friend's moans.

Tasuki was drowning, and he wasn't even near the water. There was a suddenly hissed name so soft Tasuki barely heard it. His eyes opened at hearing the name.

"Tasuki."

Tasuki looked at his friend again. Chichiri still had his eyes closed, his chest heaving. Tasuki sighed and snuck back to the camp.

"Mother! News."

"Tell me son. Was she successful?"

"Er, not yet. They aren't together, but one of them knows. He's in shock over it, but he knows." The boy stopped to breathe. "I- is that bad?" he studdered.

Hoki smiled at her son. "Not at all. It has only been two days. We must give them time. Is she still tailing them?" The boy nodded. "Good. She knows what to do."

When Chichiri's breath slowed to normal, he bathed, got dressed, then went back to the camp. He looked at Tasuki, who was still pink in the face.

"What's wrong? No da?" he asked curiously. Tasuki said nothing, but he looked away from his friend. "Come on, Tasuki-kun. You can tell me. No da." He sat down next to Tasuki

Tasuki looked at him like he had two heads (not two faces). "What's with you?"

"Da?"

"You were all grumpy when you left. Now yer all happy. What happened-?"

"Nothing. No da," Chichiri interupted quickly. "The...the cool water...calmed me down is all. No da."

"Mmm. Well, nothin's wrong with me either."


	3. After

She was a few miles away from the "enemy", as Hoki called them. She was using her special vision to watch them. It looked like they were fighting.

She groaned. "They aren't getting along again," she said into a tiny book in her hand.

"Mother says to give them time," said the boy on the other side of the communicator.

She looked again. They were separated; one was by the water, the other far away. She growled. You do know we're back to square one, right?" There was no answer. "It means we have to start over."

"No. I don't think so."

"I'm watching them right now! You can't see them like I can!" she argued.

"You don't know them. You just met them. Trust me: now that one knows, he'll go after the other."

"Everything will be fine?"

"Yes. You have done very well. You made mother happy. And I'm sure Genro and Hojoun will be very happy as well."

"You mean I'm done?"

"Yes, with the physical work. Now you just watch them to make sure they go by the plan."

"Right. I'll contact you when they are together." Li closed the book and continued to watch the two boys.

*****

It was barely dark outside when Tasuki and Houjun went to their different tents. At least Hoki gave them two of those.

"'Night," Tasuki yawned. Only slow, even breathing was what answered him.

Hojoun was asleep. No matter how hard he tried to stay awake, he ended up falling asleep right away. He knew what was awaiting him when he closed his eyes. And it happened almost right away.

It was raining. The river was flooded. Hojoun didn't care. He only saw red. He drew his sword.

'How dare you?!' he yelled at his friend above the thunder and wind.

He swung, but it was blocked by his friend's sword. The force of Houjun's second swing knocked his friend into the river. Houjun dropped his sword and was at the river in time to grab his friend's hand.

'I'm sorry,' his friend yelled.

Then there was a loud crack, and someone yelled, 'Look out!'

Houjun looked up in time to catch the broken log with his eye.

Chichiri sat up gasping. He reached up to feel his scarred eye. He never wore his mask anymore, and someday he would use the medicine Mitsukake gave him five years before. His eye was still closed with the scar, but tears were running down his other cheek.

That settled it: He would not be going back to sleep. But he didn't want to be alone and awake either. He walked out of his tent, and into Tasuki's.

"Tasuki-kun? You awake?"

"Yeah," said a sleepy Tasuki. "Come in."

Chichiri walked farther in and sat down next to the "bed."

"No, I mean come in." Tasuki pulled up the blankets and pulled Chichiri under them. Chichiri was stiff. "Relax." He put a hand on his friend's cheek. The tears had almost dried, but not quite. Tasuki knew why Chichiri was in his tent. "The dream." Chichiri nodded. "That's why you didn't wanna stop." It wasn't a question, but Chichiri nodded again. "It's okay," Tasuki whispered, pulling Chichiri to face him. "It was years ago." Tasuki scooted closer and touched his lips to his friend's.

Chichiri pulled back. "What was that for?"

"Well, I was comforting you." Chichiri raised his eyebrows. "Okay, that's not the only reason I kissed you. There's something I've been meaning to tell ya." He waited, gathering his courage. When nothing was said, he went on. "I...love you." Chichiri looked upset at this. "Don't do that; I know you feel the same way. I was sortta there for yer bath. That part."

Chichiri blushed. He tried to turn away, but Tasuki held his hips. Their lips brushed again. One of them moaned, but neither knew who. Tasuki's hand moved lower and pulled. Their bodies were pressed together. They moved against each other. Tasuki went in for another kiss, this time he deepened it. They both moaned.

*****

The moans caried outside the tent. Li had moved to only a few feet away. She moaned. "They are so hot together, prince," she said into the book.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll take your word for it," the boy said disgustedly. He was only a boy, barely old enough to play with girls. "They are together, though?"

"Uh-huh. They just groaned to completion, I think."

"Eww! Too much information, Li!" the prince gagged.

"Sorry," Li giggled.

"You sent him the dream?" the boy changed the subject.

"No. I was about to, but it started on its own. I guess it's still hard for him," she said saddly. "Genro will be very good for him. Besides, I thought you didn't want me to send it."

"I was making sure you used it as a last resort."

"Right." The boy could almost hear Li roll her eyes.

*****

Hoki was walking out in the front court yard when her son and Li ran to her. "Mother!" the boy yelled. "He's back." The boy panted.

Hoki looked. She was a bit disappionted to only see Hojoun on the horse. But as he rode closer, she saw Tasuki on the same horse, right behind him. She smiled and her heart raced faster. "Excelent job you two. Thank you both."

"It wasn't like they did much," Li mumbled. It earned her an elbow in the ribs. "Ow."

But Hoki didn't hear; she was running to meet the boys at the gates. "Welcome back," she said, not out of breath. She smiled, which made the two dismounting boys look at each other. "What?"

"It was the look. No da." Chichiri paused, then, "You knew this was going to happen."

Hoki laughed. "Yes, but it had to."

Li ran up behind Hoki. "Hiya," she waved.

"And you were in on it!" Tasuki went to attack, but Hoki stepped in his way, still laughing.

"Yes, and she did a great job. Showing Tasuki that scene, and Hojoun the dream-"

"No. Hoki-sama, I didn't send the dream," Li said saddly. Hojoun paled. "Sorry, Houjun-san. That dream was all you." She bowed.

"It's okay Li-chan-"

"Wait, you're a girl?!"

"Maybe," Li said slyly, winking at Houjun. Everyone laughed while Tasuki scratched his head in confusion.


End file.
